Device for forming the metallic fastening bands of cap closures



vMal-ch12, 192 9. 4 RC, ADAMS 1,705,386

DEVICE FOR FORMING THE METALLIC FASTENING BANDS OF CAP CLOSURES FiledFeb 25, 1928 4 shets-sneet 1 Mar-ch12, 1929. R. c. ADAMS 1,705,386-

DEVICE FOR FORMING THE METALLIC FASTENING BANDS 0F CAP CLOSURES FiledFeb. 25, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Magch 12,1929. R. c. ADAMS 1,705,386

- DEVICE. FOR FORMING THE METALLIC FASTENING BANDS OF CAP CLOSURES FiledFeb. 25, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 12, 1929. R, c, A AM 1,705,386

DEVICE FOR FORMING THE METALLIC FASTE NING BANDS OF CA? CLOSURES FiledFeb. 25, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 12, 19290 ROLAND CECILADAMS, OF WESTCLIFF-ON-SEA, ENGLAND.

DEVIGE FOB. FORIEING 'iIl-IE METALLIC FASTENING BANDS 0F GAP CLOSURES.

Application filed February 25, 1928', Serial No. 257,034, and in GreatBritain February 18, 195237.

This invention relates to machines for use 111 1116 manufacture of capclosures for hottles or other containers and more particu larly in themanufacture of that kind of such closures which comprise a closure element adapted to cover the mouth of such container and a retainingelement for holding said closure element in situ, said retainingelementconsisting of a metallic band strip bent into a ring with its two ends,

fastened together by means of a tongue and slot connection and adaptedto be applied around the neck of the container.

The primary object of the invention is.

the provision of a machine for automatical 1y fornnng the metallicbandstrip into the ring and the invention consists broadly in I thecombination of a core device, means for feeding said strip around saidcore device so that the two ends overlap and means iOr increasing the- 7effective circumference of said core device in such a way as to causethe tongue and slot connection for said two ends to interlock'therebyforming an endless band.

In order that the invention may be the more clearly understood a machinein accordance therewith will now be described reference being made tothe accompanying drawings wherein 'Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 show in endelevation certain of the essential parts of the machine illustratingposition of the parts during their progressive stages of opera tion.

Figure 5 is a plan of certain of the parts shown in Figures 1 to ltogether with another part shown in disassembled relation.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing agrooved roller and a bifurcatedprojection for cooperating with the metal strip prior to its beingshaped.

Figure 6 is a side chine.

Figure 7 a plan view.

7" is a view oi the gear Wheel having teeth on its face toothed on lessthan one-half its circumference.

Figure 8 is'an end elevation.

Figure 9 is a view to an enlarged scale of the strip as blanked out, and

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the formed band. Thus the machine isadapted to form the bands of cap closures of the character de-' scribedin prior application No. 223,758

elevation of the mafiled October 3rd, 1927. These bands as blanked outtake the'form shown in Figure 9:; that is to say they take'the form eachof a flat strip having tongues stamped out adjacent the respective ends,each of generally cylindrical formation having one end thereof formed soas to provide a PIQJGQiElOll m Thls projection, as shown, is in the formof a short cylinder coaxial with, and of slightly less radius than, the

main portion-of said member a, and having a bite or recess whichextendsthroughout the whole of its axiallength, and with edges: parallelto one another from one circumferential periphery nearly to the other.This bit has slidably mounted therein,

in splined relation tothe parallel edges, a'

member a which is so shaped externally that in its outermost position(as. shown in Figures 1 and 4) it completes the circumferentialperiphery of the pgart a The main portion of the member alias an axialopeninga formed therein at the end from which said part a projects, andthe insideedge of the member a also has a bite out of it which has itssides parallel to the sides of the former bite and about the samedistance apart. as the diameter of said 'hole and has its endapproximately semicircular as shown andwith a bevelled edge a". Saidmember a is held to its inner position by means of springs a p Theprojection a is closely surrounded by a shallow circular wall I) havingtwo interruptions in which are located'respective rollers 0 and d whichhavetheir axes parallel to the axis of said member a and are biasedinwardly'by springs d towards said member to limited positions such thatsaid rollers normallybear against the circumferential periphery of-s'aidprojection a and move inwardly only a sma'lldistance furtherwhenpermitted to do so by the position of the member a. These rollersare carried at the extremities of respective levers 0 and 17/ andaremovable by virtue of the movement of said levers about their axes.

Coaxial with the axis of said member a is an axially reciprocable die e(shown only in Figure 5) in axially disassembled relation). This die,has centrally a cylinder e a plain annular surface 6 at right angles tothe axis of reciprocation, a bevelled or slightly conical surface 6which extends from said surface e an outer convexo conie cal surface 0and an outer convexo cylindrn" as to be adapted, as the die movesinwardly towards the member a to engage corresponding chamfered surfacescand d on the levers and d in such a way as to cause the rollers 0 and(Z to be move-d outwardly away from the axls of the member a. As

.said die moves further inwardly the inner surfaces 0 and d of saidlevers are adapted to slide on the cylindrical surface 6 of said die,whereby the rollers c and d are held quite clear of the part a Themember a is adapted to rotate in termittently in a counter clockwisedirection synchronously with the reciprocation of the die 6, thearrangement being such that said member (2 makes a complete revolutionand then pauses for a period equal to, or greater than, the period ofrevolution. The member a when at rest is on the opposite side of the diefrom the roller 0. This position is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4. Whenthe period of rest commences the diev is making its inward or operativestroke and will have moved a sufiicient distance on the surfaces 0 andC23 to be sliding on the convex cylindrical surface 6 wherebythe rollers0 and (Z are held clear ofthe part a A chute 7 is provided along whichthe unformed strips 8 are fed in succession. chute is so directed thatsaid strips are adapted to be fed between said roller 6 and a coactingmember a past the angle or point Said strips are adapted to be fed withtheir square ends forwards and with the tongues adjacent said squareends directed away from the part a and towards said roller 0 as shown inFig. 2.

Starting at the extreme instroke of the die, at this position the lastband has just been formed and closely circumscribes the part aSaidformed band'will be ejected, as said Said 7 die moves to its outerposition, by means which will be described hereinafter. The followingband (whose formation is about to be described) has been fed down thechute by feeding mechanism which will also be hereinafter describeduntil further IDOV(3-\ ment is prevented by its forward end abuttingagainst the surface e of the die. The member a is at its period of rest,so that the hindermost point x is opposite the roller 0. The surfaces0"" and d are resting on the surface 6 so that the rollers c and d areclear of the part a This position is shown in Figure 1, the-precedingband and the die e not however being shown.

hen the die 0 has moved outwardly during a small'part of its stroke thesurface s clears the end of the strip 8 and the roller 0 being stillclear of the part a said strip is fed by the feeding mechanism betweensaid roller 0 and the aforesaid corner .00 until its forward end abutsagainst the edge of the Fbite opposite to said aforesaid corner 00. Assaid strip is fed in this way the preceding formed band is bein ejectedand the ejection is timed so that said formed band will just missfouling said strip. Approximately simultaneously with the arrival ofthestrip at this position the surface 6 disengages the surfaces 0 and (iand the rollers 0 and d close upon the part a the former roller ofcourse holding the strip 3 firmly against the aforesaid corner 02. Thisis the position shown in Figure 2.

Immediately after this, the period of rotation of the member a commencesand the strip is carried round with the part a When said member a hasnearly completed its revolution; that is to say'about when the Iforemost of the corners a: arrives at the roller 0 the rear end of thestrip is drawn clear of the chute and said strip completely encirclesthe part a with the tongues opposite the bite as shown. When saidforemost corner w passes said roller 0 the latter moves a small distanceinto the bite to its limitod position thereby ensuring that the two endsoverlap as shown in Fig. 3 so that each tongue lies inside the other.This is the position shown in Figure 3. Immediately after this positionis arrived at the rollers 0, (Z are lifted clear of the part (t by thercturning die and this may or may not permit the strip ;to spring to agreater circumference so that the tongues interlock. In any case thestrip now completely encircling the part a, will continue to rotatetherewith until the member a arrives at its position of rest. Thetongues will then be opposite the bite on the one side and the fixedwall I) on the other.

Just after said member a; arrives at the position of rest the coneshaped end of the forward projection e engages with the dially in thebite of the part a untilit final ly reaches its outermost positionhereinbe fore referred to in which its outermost edge completes thecircumferential periphery of the part a By this action first thecircumference of the strip 8 is increased until the tongues forced intoengagement with one another and next said lnterengaged tongues aresqueezedbetween the outer edge of the member a and the ad acent wall 79andare thereby flattened against the band so that the connection isrendered semi-permanent. The band is thus secured. in its ring form.

Simultaneously with or immediately after this action the surface 6 abutsagainst the outer edge of. the strip and the surface e surrounding saidedge closely, said edge is constrained to bend inwardly as required.

Lil

til

By the time the die arrives at the inner end of its stroke this inwardbending is cont plete'd to the requlred extent and the formation of theband is complete. This position 1s illustrated In Figure 4. The die thencommences to move outwardly until the entire movement thereof iscompleted. It willbe noted that the member a rapidly recedes to itsinner position so that the following strip is not delayed in moving toits position against the foremost point x. 1

The ejection of the formed. band during the outstroke of the die isadapted to be ef fected by means of three ejector rods h 'whichreciprocate as one unit in holes formed through the member a parallel.to the axis thereof and near to the circumferential periphery of thepart a The extremities of these rods emerge from thesurface of said part(5 shortly after the die has commenced its out stroke and continue toemerge until just before said Idie has reached the outer end of itsstroke. At this moment they are withdrawn suddenly. Durin the emergencethe extremities of said rods engage the in turned lipiof the band aswill be seen from Figure 4 and force said band off the part- (6. Duringthe withdrawal the band falls clear of said rods into a suitablecontainer. The sudden nature or" said withdrawal is in order toensurethat the bandshall have fallenclear be'fore it canpossibly foul the diedur ing its return stroke for forming the succeeding band. 7

To ensure the retention of the strip in situ whilst it is being carriedround with the part a, a member 9 is provided located outide the circleformed by the band and having an overhanging lip g which, when saidmember '9 is in its normal position, retains the band against axialmovement. The member 9 however is movable more or less radially awayfrom thelaxis of the member ment with therol'ler f and the wards which aso that'the lip g clears the band, andisaid I said band has been movedsutli'cient-ly far by means of the rods 72'. to prevent its: outer edgebeing stopped by said lip 9 Associated with the chute are two feedrollers f and 7 The roller f is mounted underneath the floor of thechute and has itscircumferential periphery just projecting through anopening insaid' floor. The roller is supported above the floor of saideh-ute by means of oscillating bracket f com prising projections f 7oscillates between two: positions and the arrangement is such that atoneof said positions the roller 7 is pressed into-engageprojection justtouches said floor of said chute, whilst, the projection f is liftedclear of the said floor. At the other of said positions the roller f andthe projection f are lifted clear and the projection 79 engages saiddoor of said chute... The roller 7 is permanently-inrotation in such adirection as to tend to feed the strip along the chute towards the part64 When the bracket f is inthe former posi-' ion a strip is adapted: tobe fed into the chute. This. strip slides. down the chute until it abutsagainst. the projection f and re mains there until said bracket 7 movesto its latter'position. Said strip then slides further until it abutsagainst the projection where it stops until said bracket returns toitsformer position.v Thereupon said-projection f is lifted and said stripis gripped between the rollers f and 7 the projection f only restinglightly on its surface, so that it is fed forward until afterinterruptionby the surface 6 at'the position of Figure I it assumestheaforesaid position of Figure 2.

The strip stops at thisfpositio-nuntil the does not return to itsnormalposition-until and f. The bracket f and between the rollers f and Inorder that this maybe possible said roject1on f is bifurcated and theroller F, to-

said tongue is turned, is grooved.

Aft-er this occurs, the following be inserted into the chute where it isstopped either by the projection f if it is inserted immediately as thetail end of the preceding strip is seento disappear or by theprojecstrip may I tion if the insertion is delayed until the bracket hasmoved to its latter position. At whatever moment theinsertion iseffected however-the co-operation of the two projections will preventthe possibility of two strips fouling, provided only such insertion. isnot effected until the tail of the preceding strip is seen to disappear.

vFrom the above the timing of the rocking of the bracket will have beendeduced. Thus the change from the latter position to the former positionis made just before the die is at the inner end of its stroke so thatsaid strip abuts against the surface 6 of the punch, ashereinbeforedescribed, ready to complete its forward movement to theposition of Figure 2 when permitted to do so by the withdrawal of saidsurface a. The change from the former position to the latter positiontakes place'just after the rear end of the strip has been drawn past theproj ection f Describing now with reference to Figures 6, 7 and 8 thegeneral construction of the apparatus the parts are all supported bymeans of a massive base structure 1 the form of which will be apparentfrom the drawing. On this base at one end is mounted a horizontal mainpower driven shaft 2.

The member a is mounted coaXially on the exteremity of a horizontalactuating shaft 8 which is located at right angles to said shaft 2. Thisactuating shaft 3 carries a bevel gear 5 which engages a bevel gear 6carried by the main shaft 2. The teeth of the bevel gear 6 are cut awayto extend only slightly more than half of its circumference and the gearratio is such that the teeth during their engagement with the gear 5will cause the latter to make exactly one revolution. In this way themember a is caused to make intermittent revolutions alternating withperiods of rest as hereinbefore described.

The die e is mounted upon a crossmember 7 by means of a bolt 8 screwthreaded at both ends and a nut 10. Said bolt through said cross memberas shown and the die is screwed on to the inner end thereof with aspacing collar 9 between said die and said cross. member. The nut :10 isscrewed onto the rear end of the bolt thereby securing the die in place.

Said cross member is mounted on the base 1 by means of twoguide pins 11rigidly secured to said cross member and longitudiir ally slidable inholes 12 in said base. Said cross member is adapted to be reciprocatedby means of eccentrics 13 on the main shaft 2 the straps of saideccentrics being secured to said member by means of rods ll and screws15. In this way the reciprocation of the die is effected. The feedrollers c and d are maintained inpermanent rotation andthese feedrollers are each carried by a about a shaft 25.

shaft, such as 16, shown in Fig. 75 havinga bearing 17 and each bearing17 is intended ture is well known in machines of this art and furtherdetail description is believed to be unnecessary. The rocking bearings1'? enable the levers 0 and (Z to oscillate as described. As shown byFig. 7 the shafts 16 carry gear wheels 19. which are driven by means ofa gear wheel 20 which is rigidly secured to the bevel wheel 5. Thelevers 0' and d are pivoted at 21 direct to the base 1 as shown.

The ejection pins holes in the member upon a collar 22which slidesaxially upon theshaft 3. Said collar 22 is adapted to be reciprocated bymeans of another collar 23 against which is in turn reciprocated by thelower end of a lever 24 the upper end of which is pivoted Said lower endof 'the lever 2a is bifurcated so as to engage the flanges of acircumferential groove formed in said collar 23 as shown in 6. Saidlever 2 is oscillated by means of a cam 26 engaging with a complementarycam surface on said lever, the two cam surfaces being formed as shown inFigure 6 so that said lever pushes said collar 23 to the left slowly andthen permits it to return to the right quickly. This return of the twocollars and the lever effected by means of springs 27 coiled about therods h. It will thus be seen that the rods 71. emerge from the part afor ejection of the formed band and return quickly to avoid the bandfoulthe die as hereinbefore stated.

The said member 9' is carried as one end of a lever 28 which isoscillatable about the aforesaid shaft 21. Saidmember h whichreciprocate in .g is slotted at 29 and is held against the casting ofthe base 1' by means of a screw 30 passing through said slot. In thisway said member is permitted to reciprocate as described. Said member isbiased to its normal or down position by means of a leaf spring 81.

The bracket 7 is 'oscillatable about the axis 82. The upper end of saidbracket is bifurcated and in the slot of bifurcation is located a rod 3;which is oscillatable about a vertical pivot 34. A cam engaging surfaceis formed on this rod which surface is engaged by a complementary cam.surface formed on the face of a cam wheel mounted on a driven shaft 36.Upon rotationof said shaft 36 the cam surfaces between the wheel 35 andthe rod 38 cooperates so as to oscillate said rod about its pivot 34 andthereby oscillate said bracket f about its axis 82. In this wa ect1ons fand f are caused Q .1ll-1C ;1OH as hereinbefore described.

a as stated are mounted it abuts, which collar shown at the pro- Thefeed roller f has rigidly and coaxially associated therewith a gearwheel 37 and this gear wheel is in engagement with a gear wheel 38mounted on a shaft the other end of which carries a gear wheel 40. Saidgear wheel 40 engages a gear" wheel 41 mounted on a shaft 42 whichcarries a bevel wheel l3 which engages with another bevel wheel 44:mounted on the aforesaid shaft 36. It will thus be apparent that a stepup transmission train is established from said shaft 36 to said feedroller f When the teeth on the bevel wheel 6 leave the teeth on thebevel wheel 5, there is a tendency for said latter wheel to continue running under its own momentum. In order to overcome this tendency a pawl45 is provided pivoted upon a pivot 46, which pawl at the moment saidteeth disengage, is pulled into engagement with the teeth of said bevelwheel 5. This pawl carries a projection 47, as shown in Fig. 7, whichrests on a cam 48 which is rigid with the bevel wheel 6.

Said pawl 45 is moved into engagement with the teeth of the wheel 5 bymeans of a spring 49 andthe cam 48 on shaft 2 is so formed that suchengagement is permitted throughout the whole period of disengagement ofthe two bevel wheels 5 and-6. Said pawl 45 slides in the slot of abifurcated support 50.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A machine forforming a sheet metal strip having a. tongue at each end into aretaining ring having on one longitudinal edge a flange, said -machinecomprising a rotatable member, with means associated,

In witness whereofl afi'iX my signature.

ROLAND CECIL ADAMS.

